12-12-2024

HIF Global begins installation of the first Direct Air Capture unit in Chile

HIF Global, the world’s leading e-Fuels company, announced the arrival of the first Direct Air Capture (DAC) unit in Chile, an innovative technology that allows the extraction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the atmosphere. The test unit developed by HIF Global, together with Porsche, Volkswagen Group Innovation and MAN Energy Solutions, will be installed in the HIF Haru Oni e-Fuels facility and will be integrated for the first time into the production of synthetic fuels.

The first equipment parts arrived in Punta Arenas directly from Hamburg, Germany, and HIF collaborators in Magallanes are already working on assembling it, a process expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2025.

The CEO of HIF Latam, Víctor Turpaud, said, “We have demonstrated we can produce fuels with the power of the winds in Magallanes. Being able to develop and install this DAC unit at HIF Haru Oni is a major leap in innovation, with an efficient and accessible technological solution. This step allows us to continue advancing in sustainable alternatives to fight climate change with a sense of urgency”.

With the addition of the DAC unit, the facility will be able to filter from the air 600 tons of carbon dioxide annually, an essential component for producing e-Fuels. Today, HIF Haru Oni produces e-Fuels with biogenic CO₂.

The process works due to a modular system that filters CO₂ from the atmosphere, using specialized materials to absorb it. This captured carbon dioxide is stored in pure form and can be used as raw material to create e-Fuels such as e-Methanol for ships, e-Gasoline for cars, or e-SAF for airplanes.

Additionally, this technology absorbs atmospheric moisture from which water can be extracted for the e-Fuel production process.
As with other technologies, HIF Haru Oni will test and gain experience with the DAC, a fundamental input for the development of commercial-scale projects the company will develop around the globe.

e-Fuels are made using electrolyzers powered by renewable energy to separate hydrogen from oxygen in the water molecule. The hydrogen is then combined with recycled carbon dioxide to produce green fuels. e-Fuels are chemically equivalent to the fuels currently used, meaning they can be incorporated into existing engines and infrastructure without the need for modifications.